Mark Twain
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User:AllieCashel @timeAndDate(1279814135)
Hailed by William Faulkner as "the Father of American Literature" and author of the "Great American Novel," Samuel Clemens, or Mark Twain (a pen name), is one of the most famous figures in American history. Though he is most well known for his creation of the classic characters of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, Twain also contributed many other celebrated works to the cannon of American literature. During this time, Twain's sharp wit and sneaky satire made him very popular with critics, his peers and readers internationally. Even today, his work is read for pleasure and in schools all over the country where Twain is lauded as one of the most important writers in history.
Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn
In 1876 Twain published ''The Adventures of Tom Sawyer'' and his character became an immediate classic. Tom Sawyer was based of of Twain's childhood and almost every event from the novel actually happened, in some way, to him. It tells the story of a mischievous 12 year old boy, his adventures with his best friend Huck and his declared love for Becky Thatcher, the new girl in town. It's full of more thrills than most 12 year olds are used too but still seems to capture the essence of the American culture at the time perfectly. Tom's friend Huck appeared as the protagonist of Twain's next beloved novel ''The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, ''which is considered by many to be much stronger than its predecessor. This is the book often hailed as the "Great American Novel," and tells the story of Huck's elaborate, runaway journey down the Mississippi River with his friend Jim, a runaway slave. Noted for its beautiful descriptions, exciting plot and the complicated relationship developed between Huck and Jim this story is a coming of age story that members of every generation can relate too. Many people feel uncomfortable with the ways Twain deals with race in both of these novels, but it's important to realize that at the time he was writing these books were considered overwhelmingly racially conscious. In fact, many people felt that Twain portrayed his his black characters in too positive a light. Regardless, both these books are American classics, serve as wonderful artifacts of the culture of America in the 19th century and are exciting reads.
Other Famous Works
Autobiography
Over the last forty years of his life, Twain composed an autobiography that he left behind as a manuscript at his death. Because the manuscript was more a rambling collection of thoughts rather than a cohesive autobiography, only a few chapters have been released and read by the public. That said, in November of 2010, the 100 year anniversary of his death, the first ever edition will be released in it's entirety by the University of California Press.
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